The present invention relates to an editable information management system and method.
The use of personal computers has revolutionised the manner in which documents are created and managed. It is now relatively easy for an individual having a PC to create and print documents which look professional and are well presented. Typically, such documents are created in a word processor such as Microsoft™ Word™, and then printed using, for example, a laser printer. Using such a word processor a user can input text using a keyboard, and format inputted text by using different fonts, type sizes, and type styles. Images and other suitable data can also typically be inserted into documents created in this way.
Some documents require calculations to be performed on inputted data, and in such cases it may be easier to use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft™ Excel™ for input of data, and execution of the necessary calculations. Again, using such spreadsheets documents can be printed in a professional manner using for example a laser printer.
Currently available software provides stand alone users with powerful document creation applications such as those described above. However, such software is limited where there is a requirement for a plurality of users to collaborate in creating a single document. In such circumstances it is common for a first user to create and edit a document, and email the document to a second user who adds further data. Such a solution is clearly disadvantageous given that the first and second users can not concurrently work on the document.
If a document is to be worked on by a plurality of users connected to a computer network, known software products allow a first user to access the requested file, and inform any subsequent user attempting to access the file of the first user's access. The subsequent user is then typically given an option to open a read only copy of the file (given that the first user has a read/write copy of the file), or alternatively to wait until the first user has finished editing the document. Again, such functionality does not allow a plurality of users to access a single document concurrently.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,162 (Eastman Kodak Company) discloses an object oriented document management system in which a document (such as newspaper) is created as a plurality of logical objects which can be edited independently of one another, and a plurality of layout objects which can be edited independently of one another. When the document is to be produced, the logical objects and layout objects are combined to produce a finished document. Such a system is convenient for the creation of newspapers, as individual stories can be created by individual journalists as individual logical objects, which can then be combined to create the finished document. However, the system proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,162 does not allow a plurality of users to view a single complete document concurrently, and can not be used with commonly used software packages such as those described above.